Hit is awriten on ðære ealdan ǽ, þæt nan man ne sceal hine gebiddan to nanum deofelgylde, ne to nanum ðinge, buton to Gode anum; forðon ðe nán gesceaft nys wyrðe þæs wurðmyntes, buton se ana seðe Scyppend is ealra ðinga: to him anum we sceolon ús gebiddan; he ana is soð Hlaford and soð God. We biddað þingunga æt halgum mannum, þæt hi sceolon ús ðingian to heora Drihtne and to urum Drihtne; ne gebidde we ná, ðeah-hwæðere, us to him, swa swa we to Gode doð, ne hi þæt geðafian nellað; swa swa se engel cwæð to Iohanne þam apostole, ðaða he wolde feallan to his fotum: he cwæð, "Ne do þu hit na, þæt þu to me abuge. Ic eom Godes þeowa, swa swa ðu and þine gebroðra: gebide ðe to Gode anum."
"Þa forlét se deofol Crist, and him comon englas to, and him ðenodon." He wæs gecostnod swa swa mann, and æfter ðære costnunge him comon halige englas to, and him ðenodon, swa swa heora Scyppende. Buton se deofol gesawe þæt Crist man wære, ne gecostnode he hine; and buton he soð God wære, noldon ða englas him ðenian. Mycel wæs ures Hælendes eaðmodnys and his geþyld on ðisre dæde. He mihte mid anum worde besencan ðone deofol on þære deopan nywelnysse; ac hé ne æteowde his mihte, ac mid halgum gewritum he andwyrde ðam deofle, and sealde us bysne mid his geðylde, þæt swa oft swa we fram ðwyrum mannum ænig ðing þrowiað, þæt we sceolon wendan ure mod to Godes lare swiðor þonne to ænigre wrace.
On ðreo wisan bið deofles costnung: þæt is on tihtinge, on lustfullunge, on geðafunge. Deofol tiht ús to yfele, ac we sceolon hit onscunian, and ne geniman nane lustfullunge to ðære tihtinge: gif þonne ure mod nimð gelustfullunge, þonne sceole we huru wiðstandan, þæt ðær ne beo nán geðafung to ðam yfelan weorce. Seo yfele tihting is of deofle; { 176} ðonne bið oft þæs mannes mód gebiged to ðære lustfullunge, hwilon eac aslít to ðære geðafunge; forðon þe we sind of synfullum flæsce acennede. Næs na se Hælend on ða wisan gecostnod; forðon ðe he wæs of mædene acenned buton synne, and næs nan ðing ðwyrlices on him. He mihte beon gecostnod þurh tihtinge, ac nan lustfullung ne hrepede his mód. Þær næs eac nan geðafung, forðon ðe ðær næs nan lustfullung; ac wæs ðæs deofles costnung forðy eall wiðutan, and nan ðing wiðinnan. Ungewiss com se deofol to Criste, and ungewiss he eode aweig; forðan þe se Hælend ne geswutulode na him his mihte, ac oferdráf hine geðyldelice mid halgum gewritum.